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Understanding

Liability

Car Insurance

What You Need to Know to Cover Your Bases

What Is Liability Car Insurance?

Getting into in an accident is never fun. And many times, it’s not something you intended. Even if you consider yourself to be an exceptional driver with a crystal-clear driving record, you cannot control your surrounding at all times. Anything can contribute to an accident, weather, traffic, and even common distractions.

This is precisely why liability insurance was created – to protect drivers in the case of an at-fault accident.

Just as the name suggests, liability car insurance will cover damage to another vehicle or personal property in an at-fault accident. Although bare minimum requirements will allow you to hit the open roads legally, increasing levels of liability protection can provide additional coverage and peace of mind in the unfortunate event of a crash. As coverage levels increase, insurance rates will rise accordingly.

“Bare-bones” auto liability insurance

is basic car insurance coverage that is required to drive legally in the majority of US states. In a liability insurance policy, you are required to have bodily injury coverage and property damage coverage, although specifics will vary by policy and by state. This coverage is also referred to as the “compulsory limits”.

What Does Liability Car Insurance Cover?

Liability car insurance is a minimum driving requirement in almost all states. It can be broken down into two separate categories:

Bodily Injury Liability

If you are found at fault for an accident that results in injury to the other party, Bodily Injury Liability coverage will kick in. It will provide coverage for the other party’s injury-related expenses up to the policy limits to fulfill your legal obligations as the at-fault driver. This includes medical bills, rehabilitation costs, long-term care, funeral expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and related damages.Bodily Injury Liability may also pay for legal defense if you are sued for an accident that results in Bodily Injury.

Property Damage Liability

If you are found at fault for an accident that damages another party’s property, Property Damage Liability coverage will provide coverage to fulfill your legal obligation. Eligible property damage may include a house, a fence, or a car, for example. Property Damage Liability may also pay for legal defense if you are sued for an accident that results in property damage.

If you are found at fault for a car accident, liability coverage will provide insurance coverage to the other driver to pay for property damage and bodily injury liability claims. When it comes to Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability, you can’t have one without the other. Liability coverage is actually to “indemnify” the insured. Insurance is a contract. Insurance protects the at fault insured from having to personally pay for the damages and injuries the insured party is responsible for. Liability coverage has to protective obligation to an injured person. Its goal is to settle the damage claims reasonably, to avoid any harmful personal financial damage to an insured party.

The two separate categories are listed under the liability section of a car insurance policy. But not so fast – basic bodily injury coverage may be further broken down into maximum payment amounts per person and per accident. In most policies, you will see liability coverage shown in three amounts for this reason:

50,000/100,000/50,000 or 50/100/50

Bodily Injury per Person/Bodily Injury per Accident/Property Damage

On the other hand, if you misjudge a turn late at night and run into a fence in a neighborhood, you will be held responsible for the damages.

Your property damage liability insurance will provide up to $50,000 in coverage to pay for a broken fence, as well as any other damage you may have cause to the yard, mailbox, sidewalk, etc.

To break it down for you

Your auto liability coverage may pay out per injured person

if multiple people are injured. $50,000 will also be available for related property damage in an at-fault accident.

As you can see, these liability coverage numbers may be depicted in their full value or shortened, i.e. 50/100/50.

Liability Car Insurance State Minimums

Once again, liability state minimum requirements will vary greatly. Here are several examples of state liability limits throughout the US

Alaska50/100/25

Arizona15/30/10

California15/30/5

Colorado25/50/15

Florida10/20/10

indiana25/50/10

Louisiana15/30/25

maryland30/60/15

ohio25/50/25

wisconsin25/50/10

States have different liability car insurance requirements.Before you purchase liablity car insurance, it is recommended that you learn your state requirements.

Knowing that can help you make a better decision about how much coverage you want.

But let’s not forget about Michigan. . .

Within a liability car insurance policy, Michigan residents must also carry Property Protection Insurance, or PPI.

PPI is only available in the state of Michigan.
Michigan has what is called a “No Fault Statute”. Under this statute, any accident which occurs within the state of Michigan is covered under a PPI value which every driver carrier and accesses regardless of fault.

Auto Insurance

How much is enough?

Collision Insurance

In the event of an accident, collision insurance compensates you for damage to your own vehicle.

Property Damage

Many Insurance Agents will suggest started at at least $50,000 in property damage. This covers the repairs of the other person’s property.

Bodily Injury Protection

This compensates you for your own injury-related expenses, health care, work income lost and child car expenses. If you have good health insurance or disability insurance, you may not need this.

5 Important Facts About Liability Car Insurance

How well do you know your liability car insurance policy? Here are 5 must-read facts about basic liability auto insurance:

Liability car insurance won’t cover your own vehicle

Remember, the entire purpose of liability car insurance is to provide you with financial protection and fulfill your legal obligation to pay for the other party’s injuries and/or property damage in an accident. Extended coverage in comprehensive and collision insurance will provide extra protection for your own damages.

You probably need more than bare minimum liability insurance

While it may be tempting to pay as little as possible for liability car insurance, it will leave you vulnerable if you are injured or your vehicle is damaged in an accident. As mentioned above, full coverage insurance may cost more but will protect you physically and financially in an at-fault accident, with the exception of…

Older cars may not need extra coverages

It may be to your advantage to only pay for liability coverage on an older vehicle when the cost of full coverage insurance exceeds 10% of the blue book value of your car. An older car may not benefit from Comprehensive or Collision coverage, depending on its value and the deductible, but liability is always necessary at the limits needed to protect an individual’s financial assets. If you have a $25k policy, cause $50k in damage, and have an investment property worth $50k, that asset will be taken to pay the difference in damage and policy limit.

You can set your own liability coverage limits

Although it is required by law to meet basic state liability minimums in order to drive, you have the freedom to increase liability coverage limits at your discretion. Paying slightly more for liability insurance will provide extra financial protection in an accident.

Consider uninsured/underinsured motorist liability coverage

In some states, Uninsured is mandatory. Underinsurance is optional. This liability insurance can cover your bodily injury and property damage in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver.

Since liability car insurance is just a bare minimum requirement by law, there are certain areas that it does not cover, including:

Damage to your own vehicle in an at-fault accident.

Your personal injury costs in an at-fault accident.

If you get into a serious accident for which you are found at fault with minimum liability insurance, you may be held personally financially responsible for any damage expenses beyond the policy limit.

For this reason, many insurance agents recommend upgrading a liability auto insurance policy to a full coverage policy with:

In the great debate between liability and full coverage car insurance, which one should you choose?

The type of car insurance policy that you settle on will depend on your personal circumstances and your vehicle. If you’re looking for peace of mind, liability car insurance isn’t going to cut it.

Liability insurance protects you against legal liability if you cause a car accident. Liability insurance will pay for bodily injury and property damage to the other party in an at-fault accident.

If you don’t want to worry about paying for your own medical expenses and vehicle damages in an accident, full coverage car insurance is highly recommended.

However, this still doesn’t explain how your vehicle can dictate your car insurance choice. If you have a brand-new car and are still paying on a loan or lease, the odds are that your lender may require you to carry full coverage car insurance in the loan contract terms. This requirement protects both you and the lender against any costly damages that may be incurred to your vehicle before it is paid off, no matter who or what causes a crash.

But as your car ages, it depreciates in value. Industry experts recommend abiding by the “Liability Golden Rule”: Once your car is eight years old or older, compare its blue book value against the cost of annual full coverage car insurance. If your annual collision and comprehensive coverage exceeds 10% of the current value of your vehicle (as mentioned above), it may be time to drop full coverage and stick with liability instead.

Of course, there is always a catch. If you decide to choose liability coverage without any policy upgrades, it helps to have enough money in the bank to pay for your vehicle repair and/or replacement costs out-of-pocket. If you don’t feel that you can afford such major expenses in repairing or replacing a vehicle that has been totaled, stick with full coverage insurance until you have a larger sum in savings.

Remember, full coverage car insurance will include liability insurance, plus some “extras” to protect you as a driver.

If you cause an accident with only liability coverage, you may not be able to afford to have your vehicle repairs or replacement if it is totaled

Also, you may be saddled with thousands of dollars in medical expenses that would have been covered with addition options such as Medical Payments.

How to Keep Liability Coverage Affordable

If you have taken the time to research liability insurance rates, you’ve probably discovered by now that car insurance certainly isn’t cheap

While liability is less expensive than full coverage car insurance, it could cost you more than you anticipate, depending on where you live in the country. Here is a closer look at annual car insurance coverage by state

Average Auto Insurance Cost

US Average Car Insurance Rate: $1,567

If you live in Iowa, for example, you could pay as little as $1040 per year in car insurance. This is compared to a state like Rhode Island, where car insurance premiums may rise as high as $2298 per year.

What can you do to keep car insurance costs affordable, especially in a more expensive state?

First of all, it helps to understand that there are certain non-negotiable factors that may dictate how much you pay in car insurance, as evidenced in the chart below:

What impact your car insurance rate?

SOURCE: www.netdna.carinsurancelist.com

Static factors like age, marital status, and gender can contribute to 25% of your car insurance rates. The car make and model that you drive is another major determining factor at a whopping 18%. And, of course, you can’t forget your driving and claim history that impacts your car insurance rates by up to 35%.

One of the most effective ways to keep car insurance affordable is by buying only the amount of coverage that you need.

While it’s never recommended to skimp on car insurance, overpaying for coverage can create an unnecessary financial burden

You can discuss with your insurance agent one-on-one how much coverage is recommended based on personal factors, like the length of your daily commute, where you live, the type of car you drive, and your driving history.

You can also use helpful tips to lower your car insurance rates, like:

Compare three or more car insurance providers to determine competitive market rates.

Ask for special discounts, such as student discounts or lower rates for combined policies.

Consider continued driver’s education to improve a poor driving record.

If you’re happy with your provider, stick with them for the long haul to earn discounts as a loyal customer.

If you take away one thing from this article, we hope that it is the importance of meeting state minimum requirements for liability coverage

Driving without insurance is never worth the risk

It can affect you and other insured drivers both financially and physically, especially if injuries aren’t covered in an accident. Once you meet liability requirements in your state, you can consider upgrading your policy with full coverage add-ons for complete protection every time you get behind the wheel.

Reviewed by:Licensed Insurance AgentCynthia Lanctot

Sources:

Sage, Bobbie. “State-by-State Minimum Car Insurance Requirements.” About Personal Insurance – car insurance, home owner insurance, insurance quotes.“Car Insurance Statistics, State-by-State.” Coupons and Deals: The hottest coupon codes and cash back The information discussed should not be used as the sole consideration when selecting insurance. Confirm the best coverages through an agent or other authorized insurance representative.